William g



(No Model.)

W G LATIMER KEY LOCKING :DEVICE FOR CASH REGISTBRS.

Patented May 26, 1891.

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H Il nu in immuun nl UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM G. LATIMER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE LATIMER OASI-IREGISTER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

KEY-LOCKING DEVICE FOR CASH-REGISTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,845, dated May26,1891.

Application tiled July 22,1890. `Serial No. 359,556. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. LATIMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of Vayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Cash-Registers, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in cash-registers;and the invention relates to the construction of mechanism designed toprevent the simultaneous operation of two or more keys in the sainegroup.

This invention consists in constructing' a locking-bar in normalposition to allow the free operation of any one key, but which upon theoperation of two keys becomes operative and locks all of the keys.

The means used in carrying out the invention preferably consists of abar held in its inoperative position by a spring, and springarms ot'less power adapted to be struck by each key, such springs being ofV suchtension that when two keys are struck the power is sufficient toovercome the tension of the spring ot the locking-bar and throw thelockingbar into operation. An obvious equivalent of this device is touse a locking-bar held by gravity out of operation, and of a weight foreach key, two weights being required to overbalance the locking-bar andthrow it into operation.

In the accompanying drawings my invention is shown applied to acash-register such as shown in my patent, No. 409,107, dated August 13,1889.

Figure 1 is a vertical central section th rough such a cash-register,showing my invention applied. Fig'. 2 is a similar section showing thelocking-bar in operative position. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lockingmechanism. Fig. 4 is a section showing a modification.

A is the case of the machine.

B are the keys, pivoted upon the transverse shaft C. These keys arearranged in banks of nine, each key representing a digit. Each keycarries at its rear end the tabletrod D, having a tablet representing acorresponding value secured at the top, and a reg ister-operating rod E,having suitable connections to operate the register-wheels, these partsall being as constructed and operated in the manner described in myprevious patent referred to.

a is a locking-bar secured by the hangers b to the supporting-bar c,which is pivoted in the frame of the machine. The hangers are heldnormally in a vertical position by the 6o spring d.

e are curved arms upon the keys, located. with their rear tacos inproximity to the har a and provided with a series of notches f.

g are striker-arms extending upwardly from the arms c, adapted to strikethe springs 71 secured to the bar c, one for cach key. Each of thesesprings is of lesser power than the spring d, but the combined power oftwo of the springs is ofgreaterpowerthan the spring 7o d. Thus if onekey is struck the arm g will bear against the spring 7i, but it will notbe sufficient to overcome the powerot the spring d; but if two keys arestruck simultaneously the combined power ofthe two springs 7L will be 75sufficient to overcome the power of the spring (l, rock the bar c,causing the locking-bar a to swing in and engage with the rack upon thearm c and prevent the operation of either key, but in no wise preventingthe return oi 8c the keys to normal and the succeeding operation ofeither key.

In Fig. is shown a modilication. a is the locking-bar, b are hangers,and c is a pivoted supporting-bar, being of equivalent construc- 8 5tion to that shown in Figs. l, 2, and S. .The bar a is held out otengagement with the rack e' by a counter-weightk. Each key has a pin lsecured to its rear side, upon which rests a weight m, pivoted to thebar c. In nor- 9o mal position this weight m is sustained upon the pinl. Upon the operation of a key the weightis turned upon its pivot to theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. i, and it acts against thecouuterbalance weight 7U'. 9 5 One weight m is not sufficient tooverbalance the weight Zz, but two weights m are suflicient tooverbalance the weight and cause the locking-bar a to engage with therack t' and lock the keys. ico

l the keys, of mechanism for preventing.;` the simultaneous operation oftwo or more keys, consisting of a locking-bar held normally out ofoperative position upon the operation ofa single key, and means forapplying power to put said bar in operative position upon the operationof two or more keys, substantially as described.

2. In a cash-register, the combination,witl1 the keys, of a locking-bar,means applied to hold said bar normally out of operation upon theoperation of one key, and. counteracting means brought into action bythe operation of two or more keys and adapted to be returned to normalupon the release of said keys, substantially as described.

3. In a cash-register, the combination, with the keys, of the rack z'thereon, the bara,l1e1d normally ont of contact by the spring d, andmeans forovercoming tho power of said spring` to bring` said bar intoengagement with the rack upon the operation of two or more keys,substantially as described.

4. In a cash-register, mechanism for preventing` the simultaneousoperation of two or more keys, consisting of the bar a, the spring d,the springs h, of lesser power than the spring` CZ, and a connectionbetween the keys and the spring' d, substantially as described.

5. In a cash-register, mechanism for preventing` the simultaneousoperation ot' two or more keys, consisting of a locking-bar d, spring d,the springs 71 of lesser power than the spring d, the arm e upon thekeys, the rack t', and arm f, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iaflixmysignatu re in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

M. B. O. Doei-mari', ,Mums WI-nrrmronn.

